Review: The Pity of Partition: Manto's Life, Times, and Work Across the India-Pakistan Divide

The Pity of Partition: Manto's Life, Times, and Work Across the India-Pakistan Divide by Ayesha Jalal
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Second from Ayesha Jalal. My love for Mr. Manto is not unknown to the Goodreads review box. So I like this book too. Book is not written by Manto but based on his writing and his own life. Written by Ayesha Jalal, who have personal relation relation with Mr. Manto. The is an analytical treaty of on Manto's life, Times and specially his works and relevance of that work to the current political, cultural and socio-economic events. The analysis describe how humerus the person was and how alive his writing still is. The stories written after partition have great impact on intelligentsia as well as general people from both the sides. The best part of the book is stories unknowns to everyone about his life and working style. His cause of death was a tragedy for Urdu literature and short story readers community. The partition has killed Manto. Yes this is truth. He actual life he lived was the Bombay period. In which you also can find stories he had written. That time he discussed matter related to cultural, social or economic aspects of the society. More about sex, love, whore and Bombay. After partition he became alcoholic and wrote with humanistic passion and emotion. The passion you can find in Toba Tek Singh and Khol Do. He was Urdu writer. I have no knowledge of Urdu language, but still while studying him in English is also great fun. This book is real tribute to his soul. The first para of the book itself is the best example of his writing -
In this land, once called India, such rivers of blood have flowed over the past few months that even the heavens are bewildered.... Blood and steel, war and musket, are not new to human history.Adam's children have always taken an interest in these games. But, there is no example anywhere in the colorful stories of mankind of the game that played out recently.
If you also love to read stories of Manto, his writing and Partition. You should try this book. This is an analysis by an historian, an honest one. You can also have your opinion on Manto. But, can't ignore this one.

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